Government's digital expert asserts mobile web dominance over apps in delivering public services
The deputy director of the UK's Government Digital Service (GDS), Tom Loosemore, has advocated for optimising online public services for the mobile web rather than building native apps. This approach, Loosemore believes, offers several key advantages for both users and the government.
Loosemore is confident that the mobile web is a winner for government services, both from a user and cost perspective. One of the primary benefits is that mobile web services do not require users to download or update apps, ensuring instant availability and broader reach. They also work across all kinds of devices and operating systems, simplifying development and maintenance.
Another advantage is the lower costs and faster updates associated with mobile web services. Changes can be deployed instantly on the web without requiring app store approvals or user action to update. This not only saves time and resources but also improves the overall efficiency of the services.
The mobile web approach also promotes improved inclusivity and reach. Browsers are universally available, making services more accessible to more people. Loosemore's vision of government services being user-centered and efficient is well-aligned with this strategy, which leverages the open web rather than proprietary platforms.
In response to increasing demand for online services from mobile devices, the government is increasingly incorporating "responsive design" into online services, using HTML5. From April 2014, all new or redesigned transactional government services are required to feature responsive design.
The shift towards the mobile web has been evident in the traffic patterns of the government's websites. The previous version of the government's cross-departmental website, direct.gov.uk, received approximately 10% of its total traffic from mobile devices. The new government website, gov.uk, launched in October last year, now receives 25% of its traffic from mobile devices.
Before designing a native app, Loosemore presents five questions for civil servants to consider. These include questions about the responsiveness of the service to different screen sizes, the availability of the service to third parties via an API or open data, and if there are existing native/hybrid apps that already meet the user need.
Loosemore adds that the costs of developing and maintaining apps will rarely justify their benefits for government services, especially if the underlying service design is sub-optimal. Therefore, it is crucial for civil servants to carefully consider these questions before deciding to build a native app.
The deputy director Tom Loosemore emphasizes that the mobile web is a cost-effective and efficient choice for government services due to its instant availability, broader reach, and simpler development and maintenance. Additionally, the lower costs and faster updates associated with mobile web services allow for quicker deployment of changes and improved overall service efficiency.
